Help Save The British Bee Population

We've just heard from our friends at 38Degrees about what we can do to help save the declining British bees many of which face grave danger due to some aweful pesticides.

"Dear Philip,

British bees are dying. With some species already extinct, our bees are in real danger. Our best hope to protect them could be to persuade the government to ban the pesticides that harm them. [1]

This week, a report from leading scientists confirmed a specific pesticide poses a real danger to our bees. [2] This could be enough evidence to force the government into bringing in this vital ban, but the chemical giants who make these pesticide will be lobbying against a ban.

Together, we can outweigh the lobbying pressure of these big companies. If enough of us contact our MPs it will prove protecting our bees is an issue thousands of us care about. If hundreds of MPs demand the government review its decision, they are more likely to take notice and ban these harmful pesticides.

Governments across Europe have already banned these particular pesticides. [3] They are willing to stand up to the chemical companies who make them, now we need the UK government to do the same.

The report from the European Food Safety Authority describes one of these pesticides as an ‘unacceptable’ danger to bees. [4] The government has said it will review the new evidence, but everyday that goes by more species of bees could be lost. Let’s put pressure on our MPs to act now.

Standing up to protect our bees isn’t a decision about party politics. Most MPs won’t want to sit around doing nothing whilst our bees are in real danger. But we have to prove to them it’s the right thing to do and it’s an issue voters care about. Together, let’s take a stand against the chemical giants and act now to save our bees before it’s too late.

P.S. Did you hear about the great win we had this week? The government body Monitor publicly announced they would not be recommending that private sector providers should be exempt from paying corporation tax. This happened after tens of thousands of 38 Degrees members emailed them to object to the proposed tax breaks. This was a brilliant breakthrough. If we can do this on the NHS, then we can do it on bees. http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2013/01/16/update-breakthrough/

Comments

I went out to check on the plum trees in a park covering about 3 acres here in Weymouth, and in spite of a bountiful number of blossoms earlier this spring, found very few baby fruits. Then I did a pollinator count of the same park. In spite of the Hawthorn being in full bloom, I spotted only 1 hoverfly, 2 bees,and 2 flies. This park is never sprayed. In past years the May would have been full of bees and hoverflies as well as all kinds of flies and midges. I also heard on a local radio station that one of our 2 types of Bumble Bees is now considered extinct!!! Long and short, no bees, no fruit and veg. No fruit and veg, no animals, including us. Wake up time !